Ukraine 2012 Travel Market: exotic and skiing

Three months before the start of the 19th International Travel Market Ukraine 2012, its organisers named three key areas of the main autumn tourist exhibition of the country. Exotic holidays, ski resorts and the growing interest in domestic tourism are the main characteristics of the season.

The October exhibition is going to widely represent exotic, winter recreation and incoming tourism. Ski, snowboarding and luge fans will have to choose, whether to spend their snowy holidays for offers of local tour operators, including Bukovel ski school, or go to Turkish, Polish, Slovak and Finnish ski resorts. Exotic travels are represented by Mexico, Argentina, Nepal, etc. Indian tour offers increased significantly. Those who prefer to escape from winter to summer and "warm their bones" on the beaches, will have an opportunity to look through tours to Egypt, Thailand, UAE, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Seychelles, the Maldives, Dominican Republic, etc.

Undoubted success of the presentation of Ukraine as Euro 2012 host roused the continent and the world at large wave of interest in incoming tourism. This market segment has shown a steady trend of growth. Recall, according to the Ukrainian information center of Euro 2012, foreign fans have spent in Ukraine about $1 bln. Some 70 new hotels opened or will open by year's end, and six world's leading hotel chains are there, especially Fairmont, Hilton, Holiday Inn, Ibis, Park Inn, Sheraton. 2,200 km of new roads were built, and 4000 km more were repaired. New tours and hiking trails have appeared both in Euro host cities, as well as in traditionally tourist regions. Therefore, Ukrainian tour operators of inbound tourism naturally expect a 25-30% increase in tourist traffic.

By 20 July Travel Market exhibition area is booked more than 70%. October, 11-13, International Exhibition Centre in Kyiv will host national tourist organisations stands of Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Egypt, Finland, Hungary, India, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates (Dubai), Palestine, Poland, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkey, etc. After several years the Dominican Republic stand returns to the ITM.

The 19th International Travel Market Ukraine 2012 will be held from 11 to 13 October 2012 at the International Exhibition Centre (Brovarsky Ave, 15, Livoberezhna Metro).

The first two days Travel Market traditionally goes in b2b format for comfortable communications of tour operators and travel agents. On Saturday, October 13, the exhibition will open its doors to tourists.

The exhibition is organised by ITE Group Plc (UK) and Premier Expo (Ukraine) and under official support of the State Service for Tourism and Resorts of Ukraine. UITM is a member of ITTFA and UNWTO.